Are they that much better than the Gander Series rods? I usually use the Gander rods and am very happy with them. This year I am planning on buying a rod just to pitch plastics in the spring and fall for eyes. Let;s say you talk me into buying a St.Croix 
, which would you choose? By the way, I am not willing to spend $200 on just a rod 
I live bait rig most of the time on Mille Lacs with a lindy rig setup (finger fishing). Fishing this way requires you to have the feel to detect the bite before the fish feels you. I have fished with many different brands but have found the St.Croix Avid to be extremely sensitive.
One way to check the sensitivity of a rod is to have someone hold the rod tip on your throat and feel the vibration through the handle as they speak! The better the sensitivity the more vibration! 
Puddlepounder, You do make a good point! I guess if you have the budget to spend that kind of money……buy the best! Berkley, Gander Mtn, Cabela’s all make some nice rods at around $50-$75 give or take. They will and do catch fish as the next one will.
The cabelas fish eagle? I think its called is about at good as any rod on the market. The St Croix Avid is an awesome rod but for an extra 60 bucks and a tight budget I would stick with cabelas. If money is not a huge deal buy the avid.
jc
The St. Croix rods are very sensitive. Being able to feel the light biters means more fish in the boat. I use both the Premiers and Avid rods. I use to dream of owning St. Croix rods. In fact years ago when the local Bait Shop would get in a bunch of rod blanks from St. Croix along with old rods that had broken tips or had been spliced together because someone had broken it I would hurry out there and buy as many as I could. I fell in love with St. Croix rods you could say. 
Now I buy and use new ones and am just like a kid in a candy store when it comes to their rods. I’m really sold on their rods. Gotta love St. Croixs. 
Thanks, Bill
You don’t have to spend $200 to get a St.Croix. I own several St.Croix Premier rods that retail for around $80. I use them for jigging,bobber fishing and rigging. They are very sensitive and all St.Croix rods feature an excellent wrap. St.Croix uses high quality components and handles. You need to compare these things and also the weights of the rod and the guide placement. St.Croix may cost a few more bucks but you need to remember they are not mass produced Chinese rods. They are hand crafted in the USA. Proper guide placement and wrap is crucial for a quality rod. I have had great success with their customer service and warranty issues but I have only needed one repair to an old Muskie rod.
Many of my guide clients compliment the St.Croix rods we use and want to know where to get them…
There is a better way…
I use St. Croix rods, and I think their SCV rods, the Legend series I believe, have an incredible sensitivity. However, I cannot afford the $200-300 per rod at retail. The solution??? Build your own St. Croix rods.
First, buy the book Rod Building by Tom Kirkman. Second, go to the Rodbuilding.org web site for more information than you could ever use- for free. Third, see if a local conservation department or nature center ever offers a rod-building course. For example, there is a course starting Feb. 8 or 9 here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa that is absolutely excellent- see the announcement in the IDA Iowa forum by Chuckles. Then order your own St. Croix blanks, handles, and guides, and start building your own St. Croix rods.
You will notice a number of things:
1) You can build a much better rod for $150-170 than you could ever buy for $300 (or build a much better rod for $75 than you could buy for $200)
2) You will never buy another rod in your life. Before I would salivate over the premium rods at Cabela’s or Gander, now I smirk 
.
3) You can customize a rod so easily to match your style of fishing.
4) What else can you do in January and February if you don’t ice fish?
There is however, one HUGE drawback. It is a well known incontrovertible fact that rod-building, like walleye fishing, is extremely addicting. Also, be aware AmWatson, that there is NO known cure…… 
ok since we are talking about senitive rods. I want to get me a few really good rods to cast top water and plastics for bass in heavy cover. I have a few cheapos, i got at cabelas outlet mall for $7.00 a peice. they are 7 1/2 footers. I like having the longer poles, but I am thinking that having the expensive ones don’t put that many more fish in the boat do they??
thanks
shane
I fish the avids with curados for casting and with capricorns for spinning, I beleive they do make a difference, but it does get quite expensive. Maybe someone you know would let you try one and feel the difference ??
Save up those Gander gift cards, and at least buy 1 St. Croix Avid or Premier. The Avid is my rod of choice. I use to use the Fenwick HMX series rods. St. Croix has now replaced them in my arsenal. I have also had to send rods back for repair (Two for slamming the tips in the rod locker!) and the service was awesome!
Tuck
Shane- I am no expert on rods, but I have learned a few things. When I first started fishing in a more serious way I used the cheap lumber logs from Wal-Mart and such for poles. Then last year I stepped up a level and got some of the Gander Series rods in IM6 and IM8 and can honestly say they did put more fish in the boat for me. The sensitivity is much better. That is one of the biggest reasons I considered trying the St.Croix rods. I want to be able to feel the tick of the bottom of the river, or my jog lightly tapping the rocks on the wing dams, as well as feeling the fish breathe on the jig. There is a big difference between the lower grade rods and the upper grades. I just can’t seem to convince myself to spend a huge amount on the expensive rods. Maybe, if I were to do it competitively it would be justified.
see, you just said it, I can’t justify going and dropping $200 on a rod just to catch fish. I am taking my fishing more serious and I am seeing that I am picking up on techniques and also presentation. but I figure if I can get good at using them cheapos, than just imagine what you can do with a awsome rod. I have a hard time believing that a $200 rod will put more fish in the boat than a $50 rod. I guess i am just looking at it all wrong.
shane
st.croix makes a really good rod. i have built many of them, both regular and ice rods. but like i said in my other post, if you don’t fish for a living, or if you are just starting out get the $50 rod and put the extra money into your electronics. remember you got to find them before you can catch them. there is nothing wrong with spending $200 on a rod, i just can’t justify it myself, and i fish more than most.
The way I see it, a rod is one of the more important aspects in catching fish. You don’t need to fish tourneys or guide to justify making a good investment in your rod. There are several reasons to invest in a high quality rod, some of the reasons don’t even include feeling the fish bite, but rather feeling bottom and debris hanging onto your line or baits. For walleye fisherman anyway, I truly believe high quality sensitive rods are important. Will you catch more fish with a $200 rod v.s a $50 rod? You may or may not,however, is that $50 rod balanced properly for my reel? are the guides properly placed to even the taper on the rod? how does the rod feel in my hands? What is the warranty? These are the things you need to ask yourself. Once again you don’t need to spend $200 on a rod. Like I said before I own many St.Croix Premier rods and never put down my Avid rod which runs about $130 retail. I didn’t mention this before but last year in a tournament I out fished my partner using an Avid. He was using a Guide Series rod spooled with Fireline. All day I kept looking over at him feeding line to my fish. He kept saying he wasn’t getting bit yet I looked over and saw his rod bending thinking he was on a rock. Well he kept thinking the same thing until he reeling up and there was a fish on. 
I also like to see the smiles on my clients faces when they can feel the bite which they haven’t felt before. These are people that have fished their whole life then they get into a boat with a sensitive rod and actually feel a bite. They get a real kick out of it and its a great feeling to me. In a way it actually can help someone who hasn’t rig fished much. After the first bite, they get the hang of it real quick..
Shane, fishing top water baits or tossing in slop- Stick with a fiberglass rod with high-vis line or superline.
I fish Premier series rods, 3 casting 2 spinning, $85-$95 and can’t say enough good things about them………………………… I’ll never go back to Loomis.
PuddlePounder I agree with your points. However I just want to pass along some observations. I have been guiding only four years. I decided that part of the experience a guy was paying hard earned $$$ for was to be able to try a really quality rod.
Loomis and St. Croix were my “dream rods” so I bought four Avid spinning rods.(cheaper than Loomis).
I have never had a customer(I do about 25 trips a year)that didn’t flat out love the Croixs. Now I run 6’3″ & 6’8″ Xfast actions for vertical jigging and pitching…I don’t believe you can find those tapers in a 40$ rod….could be why they think they feel the jig and have better hook ups.
Just an observation.
I have 5 spinning Premier rods, and 6 casting Premier rods with 2 of those being fiberglass and if I went to buy a new rod today I’d buy St Croix. The reason I went to all St Croix is I got tired of the Walmart, K Mart rods breaking all of the time and them telling you tuff. St. Croix Premier rods have 2 year replacement warranty and Avid have lifetime. Just my 2 cents
It all depends on what you want to do with the rod. You definitely don’t need a $150 rod most of the time. But for pitching plastics, which is a precision presentation, you must have the right rod. Without the right rod you will get more snags, lose more jigs, catch fewer fish, and have less fun. It really is that simple. I have two St. Croix Avids and a Gander rod in my boat right now … the Gander sits in the boat unless I’m throwing a heavier jig. It’s an $80 rod and it’s not sensitive enough!
The Avids rock. If you want to use Mono, get one of the x-fast actions (6’7″ ML or 6’8″ M, pick the one you prefer) … for superline get a 6’6″ fast action. Honestly, the Avid will make casting wingdams easier and more fun. The extra sensitivity will make all the difference in the world. For many other presentations, you can make do with something for less $$.
I do also like the fact that St. Croix is a small WI company with local employees. But … the premier series doesn’t impress me. I’d buy a Gander or Cabela’s rod before a premier.
John
Buy one Avid series from St. Croix and you will be spoiled. You truely have to try one to appreciate it. I use Avids for almost everything and Elites for jigging. I am going to be trying a couple of their tournament series rods this year, they are very nice, especially the 7’6″ rigging rod
I am very happy I made the switch to St. Croix, I beleive they help me catch more fish and their support has been terrific!
Great post guys!!!
I have learned a ton. I use the same rods Tuck used to use, the HMX Fenwicks. I love the rods but have been debating this past year or so (since my family used my boat and broke 3 of my rods last June). I’m thinking of trying something else. I have looked @ St. Croix and Loomis and like the St. Croix better in my hand. What Avid Rod would some of you reccomend for rigging live bait on Mille Lacs?? I currently use a 7’ML Fenwick HMX and like it. Anyone wish to tell me their Avid preferences for this presentation, would be appreciated.
Lip Ripper,
I use a AS76MLXF 7’6. This is a medium light rod with an extra fast taper . The rod is very light and with the extra fast taper, I can go with a lighter action for rigging in all depths of water. I like longer rods because I have a very wide and deep boat and the extra length helps for better hook sets with superlines and picking up slack.
A reason I can give is you can buy your own St. Criox blanks and make your own of any style, also there are lots of local rod makers that these rods for a fraction of the cost, my local rod maker has made me six rods over the last few years including legend elites and I am very satisfied with the quality and workmanship. The down side is these blanks are rejects because of blemishes in the blank but if there is a difference I surely cant tell what it is.
after reading a few posts and thinking about it, i don’t do alot of rigging for walleye. i bobber fish and troll raps in the spring and troll again in the fall. i do a little crank trolling in the summer. i guess a really sensitive rod isn’t needed for that type of fishing. most of my fishing efforts are geared towards muskie. for that i have gander guide series and st.croix rods.
Just another thing to think about. I’ve never fished with a StCroix but I am sure that they are awesome rods. When I was thinking about taking the plunge for a top quality rod I was thinking about either a StCroix or G-Loomis. I actually liked the looks of the StCroix better (I know looks has nothing to do with catching fish but hey at that price)than the G-Loomis. But in the end what tipped the scales was the warranty for being stupid. If I do something dumb like leave it out and a pup decides it looks like a great chew toy the worst it costs me from G-Loomis is $55. With St.Croix if I remember right they will take 40% off the rod. Now this is really good of both companies to help their customer out since it isn’t the fault of their product in anyway. But on a $300 rod the replacement is going to be much more with the StCroix.
Also a word of caution…….if you don’t want to own either a StCroix or a G-Loomis don’t ever fish with one. You’ll be hooked if you do and start collecting them. My first was a light action for Crappie fishing. I honestly couldn’t believe it. I could feel so much more in the rod than ever before. As far as is it worth it? That is something everyone will have a different opinion on. In my opinion if I had to save my pennies for a couple of years to get one I would I like them that much.
One more thought as to why buy a StCroix…….built in USA!!!!! I don’t know if it bugs anyone else but I hate going into WalMart and seeing almost everything made in China!! I bought a Berkley Bionix a few years back and looked that thing over trying to see where it was made…..couldn’t find it…..thought well this surely is made here………got it home and on the handle cap there was a tiny little bitty sticker……….made in China. I’ll pay a liitle more to see made in the Red White and Blue!!!
I am still teetering here 
As far as where they are made, really doesn’t matter to me. If I were to only buy American made, I sure wouldn’t have much of anything. I quess I need to test drive one and see if they are all they are cracked up to be before I decide on buying one 
hey Derek,
Now i have more questions for you, you talk about the sensitivity with pitching plastics and top water. I have a couple of ML 7’6″ rods that i picked up at cablas. I love the length but don’t like the sensitivity. I have broken many rods and reels last summer and the wife has rolled her eyes at me everytime I came home and told her that I broke another one. I am looking for the length of 7’6″ and also the control and sensitivity for landing them big bass. I have always wanted to fish a st. croix, but the wallet always looks empty and when i do have the money. I always spend it on something else, like more cranks or plastics that i don’t even know how to use. also what is the warranty on a St. croix. the rods that i broke this last summer costed me around $200, and the reels were Walmart specials. I want a recemendation for a great set up for both top water and plastics. I don’t care about the price but I am looking for the best rod and reel for what i fish.
thanks guys
shane
Shane…last yr i busted one of my St Croix Avid’s. Wont say how but it took on the shape 0f a *V* .Any way i sent it back to St Croix with a check for return postage and they sent me a new rod no questions ask. Kinda hard to beat a warranty like that
A company that makes great rods with great sensitivity and a great warranty is hard to beat. And talk about using one and being hooked, I think I’m addicted to them and lovin it. Either factory made or custom made they are GREAT! Gotta love them St. Croixs. 
Thanks, Bill
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